LEVELS OF EXPERTISE:Q: Who is considered a professional photographer?
A: We consider professional photographers those who earn, or have earned, the majority of their income from photography, or who sell or publish their work regularly, or belong to professional photography organizations.
Q: Are only photography students eligible for the student discount?
A: All students are eligible for the student discount, regardless of the concentration or major in which they are studying.
IMAGE SUBMISSION:Q: How many photographs can I enter into the same series?
A: A series consists of at least 2 and no more than 10 photographs ( 1 first photograph and 9 supporting pictures), sharing a common theme or concept and a single title. Series will be judged as a whole. Please be sure that the photographs work together as a body of work.
Q: What is considered a series?
A: A series consists of at least two and no more than ten photographs, sharing a common theme or concept and a single title. Please ensure that your images work together as a whole, as they will not be judged individually when entered as a series. The first image should be the best/strongest in the series.
Q: How will I know if my submission is complete, and what do I do if it’s not?
A: If, at the time of the competition’s close, a submission is incomplete (e.g. the submission has not been paid, or the images have not been uploaded correctly), it will not be eligible for juried consideration. Though we make every effort to make contact and to ensure completion of submissions, we are not responsible for incomplete entries and are unable to offer a refund, should an entry be incomplete at the time of the competition’s close. However, you may check on your entry status at any time by logging into the Member Section and clicking on Entry History.
Q: How should I submit my photographs for the competition?
A: First you will need to complete the online submission form, filling in the necessary details about your entry–credit name, entry title (please do not use symbols in the title–only letters and spaces), description, and select the category(s) that you are submitting to.
Once you have completed the online submission form and filled in the details of your entry, you will be directed to the upload page where you can upload your photos.
Q: What specs should the digital files have?
A: Digital images should be no larger than 4MB per image. Save as JPG compression High, 72 dpi, and minimum 1,000 pixels on the longest side.
Name the file with your last name following by title of the image. Please do not use symbols or spaces in the file name.
If your submission is a series of images, please number them and upload in order of importance. Note: The first image should be the best/strongest in the series.
Q: My image(s) didn’t upload correctly. What should I do?
A: Make sure that the file is saved in JPG format, and check that the name contains ONLY letters and numbers (no other characters or symbols).
Please note that there are two steps to uploading your images once you are at the upload page. First you will need to select your image by clicking the “Browse” button, and then once the image is selected, click “send image” to upload that image to our server. Repeat this process for each image.
If you still have problems uploading your images after following these steps, you may also try to refresh your main submission page. Otherwise, contact our support desk for assistance at
info@luciefoundation.orgQ: Can I enter one photograph into multiple categories?
A: Yes, you may enter the same photograph into as many categories as you wish. In fact, doing so may increase your chances of winning. There is an additional fee for each extra category that you select for a single entry: 20% off the initial entry fees for professionals, non-professionals and students.
Q: Is there a limit to the number of entries I can submit?
A: No, you may submit as many entries, in as many categories, as you wish.
Q: Is there a time limit within which the photographs should have been taken?
A: Yes. All photographs should be no more than 5 years old.
Q: Can I submit a photograph that has won an award, or has been entered in a previous Lucie Foundation competition, or in another competition?
A: Yes, you may submit work that has been previously submitted to Lucie Foundation or another photography competition, or that has previously won an award. However, in an effort to promote the creation of new work and maintain fresh flow of ideas, we encourage you to submit new work as much as possible.
Q: Can I make changes to my entry after I have paid?
A: No, after payment has been made, entries cannot be altered. Please review your work carefully before finalizing payment.
Q: What is the “Entry History” feature of the Member Section and how do I use it?
A: The Entry History feature allows you to view the status of your submissions “Outstanding” – “Completed”- “winner”, you can verify that images have been uploaded correctly, to print receipts, and to make payments.
Q: How do I know if you received my entry?
A: You should receive a confirmation email shortly after you submit and pay for your work. If you do not receive an email, please verify that your email is correct in our records by logging into the Member Section and selecting “Edit Profile.” In addition, if you are using spam-blocking software, please add “
luciefoundation.org” to your approved list of recipients. If, after doing both of these, you do not receive an email, please log into the Member Section, and click on “Entry History” to view your submission status and to make payments for any unpaid entries.
PAYMENT:Q: How can I pay for the photographs that I submit?
A: There are two options to pay for your submissions:
Online: You may pay for your entry after you submit your photographs through PayPal or credit card.
** Once a submission fee has been paid, there are no refunds provided. If you have been wrongly charged for any reason, we will be happy to credit the amount that is due.
Q: Are all the fees on your website in USD?
A: Yes, At this time we only accept US currency.
Q: Are some countries eligible for a discounted submission fee?
A: Yes, to help promote equal participation from photographers worldwide, the Lucie Foundation offers discounted fees to selected countries in an effort to make this competition globally accessible and inclusive. If you are submitting from an eligible country, the discount fees are automatically applied to your online submission form.
Q: What are my submission fees used for?
A: The Lucie Foundation’s revenue from the submission fees goes to supporting the Lucie Awards and Lucie Foundation programming, including the annual Lucie Awards event in New York, House of Lucie Gallery and Lucie Photo Book Prize, and many other photography events and exhibitions around the world through the coming year.
USE OF IMAGES:Q: How will my images be used?
A: You will be contacted each time we identify an image for usage – and briefed on what the usage will be. Your images are NEVER used for any purpose other than the promotion of the Lucie Foundation. All photographers thus far have been extremely grateful and happy with the manner in which their images have been used and promoted globally.
Q: Where will my image(s) be used/shown?
A: One of the great things about this competition is its global reach. Depending on what your image is chosen for, your image will be viewed with your full credit all around the world. From galleries in Italy, Poland, England, the US, Cambodia, France, Canada, Germany etc, to magazine ads printed in all the top photographic journals in India, Russia, Greece, Japan, among many others. The destination and promotion of your work is endless. By placing in the competition, you are agreeing to be included in the annual IPA publication that showcases the full collection of winning images.
Q: Will I be compensated for the use of my images?
A: There is no monetary remuneration for the use of your image, however in the case that it is being used for something other than the promotion of the competition, you will be contacted and given the option to decline the use of your work.
WINNERS:Q: When are the Winners announced?
A: Winners will be announced as specified on each activation’s page.
Q: How are the Winners notified?
A: As soon as the Jury selection is complete, all winning images will be posted on the Lucie Foundation website and a notification email will be sent to the photographers who have won a prize. Winners are also announced through Lucie Foundation’s other communication channels.
